@article {144, title = {Serotonin and neuropeptide F have opposite modulatory effects on fly aggression.}, journal = {Nat Genet}, volume = {39}, year = {2007}, month = {2007 May}, pages = {678-82}, abstract = {

Both serotonin (5-HT) and neuropeptide Y have been shown to affect a variety of mammalian behaviors, including aggression. Here we show in Drosophila melanogaster that both 5-HT and neuropeptide F, the invertebrate homolog of neuropeptide Y, modulate aggression. We show that drug-induced increases of 5-HT in the fly brain increase aggression. Elevating 5-HT genetically in the serotonergic circuits recapitulates these pharmacological effects, whereas genetic silencing of these circuits makes the flies behaviorally unresponsive to the drug-induced increase of 5-HT but leaves them capable of aggression. Genetic silencing of the neuropeptide F (npf) circuit also increases fly aggression, demonstrating an opposite modulation to 5-HT. Moreover, this neuropeptide F effect seems to be independent of 5-HT. The implication of these two modulatory systems in fly and mouse aggression suggest a marked degree of conservation and a deep molecular root for this behavior.

}, keywords = {Aggression, Analysis of Variance, Animals, Behavior, Animal, Biological Evolution, Brain, Drosophila melanogaster, Drosophila Proteins, Gene Silencing, Neuropeptides, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Serotonin}, issn = {1061-4036}, doi = {10.1038/ng2029}, author = {Dierick, Herman A and Greenspan, Ralph J} }